Wire stitching machine



Nov. 5, 1940.

R. G. HOFFERT I I 2,220,333 WIRE STITCHING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1940IHII Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PArENr OFFICE WIRE STITCHINGMACHINE Roy G. Hoffert, Racine, Wis. Application May 11, 1940, SerialNo. 334,561

4 Claims.

Wire stitching machines constructed substantially like the one disclosedin Patent No. 52,- 011, to Arthur H. Maynard, issued January 1, 1918,are now being manufactured and sold by a corporation with which I amassociated. Many of such wire stitching machines are now being used forclosing small Cellophane bags containing candies, nuts, etc. It is thepresent practice to provide each of such bags with an opening above thestaple so that a series of bags may be hung on a hook inserted throughsaid openings for displaying the bags and their contents.

The object of my invention is to combine with a wire stitching machine,a punch device for punching an opening in a bag or other article, inposition properly spaced above each staple and being automaticallyoperated by the wire stitching machine.

More specifically, it is my object to provide a combined wire clincherand punch in the form of a self-contained unit, of simple, durable andinexpensive construction mounted upon the machine base and separatedfrom the stitching mechanism and readily and easily accessible foradjustment or replacement of parts without interfering with or removingany of the stitching mechanism, and further to provide means foroperating the combined wire clincher and punch unit by power from themotor transmitted through means separate from and independent of themeans for operating the stitcher mecha nism, and whereby the relativelydelicate and sensitive mechanism of the stitcher will not be afiected bythe operation of the wire clincher and punch unit.

A further object is to provide combined wire clinching and punchingoperations properly timed relative to each other and to the stitching 0mechanism so that during the instant that the bag is gripped and thestaple inserted, the wire clinching and punching operations arecompleted to thereby avoid any movement of the bag during theseoperations, which might result in failure of one or the other of saidoperations.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows a side elevation of acomplete wire stitching machine embodying my invention, with parts ofthe base broken away to show the clincher and punch operating mechanism;

Figure 2 shows an enlarged front view of the clincher and punch unit,and a portion of the stitcher head; and

Figure 3 shows a sectional view of same on the line 33 of Figure 2.

The staple-forming and inserting mechanism forms no part of my presentinvention and is not herein fully disclosed. A stitcher substantiallylike that disclosed in said Patent No. 1,252,011 may be used. Itcomprises a frame ID, a power 5 shaft Ilhaving a hand wheel l2 fixedthereto and driven by an electric motor, not shown. That part of thestitching mechanism shown is indicated generally by the numeral l3. Astaple like that shown at M, Figs. .2 and 3, is formed 10 in thestitching mechanism and then pressed down with its free ends projectedthrough the article l5 being stitched. The wire for forming the staplesis carried upon the large spool l6. After the staple has been forcedthrough the Cel- 16 lophane bag or other article I provide means forclinching the staple and at the same time punching an opening in thebag. I have provided the following mechanism for this purpose:

In the base of the frame below the stitching 20 mechanism is a clincherslide l1 mounted for vertical sliding movement within the frame member[8; the heads of the screws I9 overlap the clincher slide ll, as shownin Fig. 2, and hold it against forward movement. Fixed to the 25 upperend of the frame member [8 are two pivot pins 20, and a clincher cam ismounted on each pin. This cam comprises a body portion 2| having a notchat its upper end to receive the pin 20. The cam is substantiallytriangular in shape, 30 and on both side edges there is a wire-receivingand guiding groove 22. At the wide end of the cam there is a circularrecess 23. The cams are within the frame members, and, as shown in Fig.

2, their inner ends are engaged by the clincher 35 slide. As shown inFig. 3, the clincher slide is formed on its rear face with a recess at24, into which recess the lower outer corner or arm of the cam willenter when the cam is swung to its upper limit. By forming these cams asshown 40 and described, they may be reversed when one of the-groovededges is worn by the wire.

After the staple is inserted in the bag and there held stationary by thestitcher mechanism, the clincher slide is elevated and this moves bothcams upwardly and toward each other, thereby effecting a clinchingmovement of the staple.

For the purpose of punching a hole in the bag during the instant whilethe bag is being held 50 and the staple clinched, I have provided apunch-supporting block 25 detachably secured to the back of the clincherslide plate I! by the set screw 26 and capable of vertical movement inthe recess 21 in the frame. The punch 28 is 55 extended through thisblock 25 and adjustably fixed thereto by the set screw 29.

On the top of the base at its front end is a combined punch plate andbag guide having a slot 3| in its front edge toreceive bags to bestitched and punched and to control the distance to which the bags maybe inserted. A punchreceiving opening 32 is formed in the plate 30 inline with the punch.

It is desirable thatthe staple and the punched hole be properly spacedfrom the folded edge of the bag, and for this purpose I have provided,at each side of the base adjacent the slot 3|, 2. regulating platecomprising a body 33 pivoted by the screw 34 to the side of the base andhaving a laterally extended arm 35 with an upright portion in linehorizontally with the slot 3!. This plate has an arcuate slot 36 throughwhich an adjusting screw 31 is extended and by which the bag-engagingarm 35 may be fixed in various positions to engage; and hold bags in thedesired position for receiving the staple and.

pun Ch For actuating the clincher: cams and'the punch in properly timedrelationshipwitheach other and with. the stitching mechanism I. haveprovidedalever 35 fulcrumed-in the base at.31 and:

having its front end: at 3.81 extended through an opening 39 in theclincher plate I'L. At the rear' end of the lever 36;-is pivoted a.rod40extende'd;

upwardly through the frame and-guided'thereby, and at the upper endofthe rodis aroller 41. in

engagement with acam 42. on. the main shaft.

H, which is' preferably driven by a motor not shown. A spring 44 isapplied to the forward end of the lever 36 tonormally. moveit down--wardly..

With the construction described, and assuming that the main shaft II isbeing rotated and the stitching mechanism, not shown; is being'operatedthereby to force'a'staple through a bag in the slot 4|, then on theinstant after thes'taple is passed through the bag-the cam 42 operatesthe lever 36. and moves'th'e clincher cams. and.

punch upwardly at the same time,.thereby completing the operation ofclinching the staple and punching the hole in the bag. These clinchingand punching operations. are performed by me-' chanisms entirely.independent from thestitchingmechanism,exceptlthat-both are powered bythe main shaft andv in that manner are properly synchronized; also theclincher and. punch are 'spacedapart fromthestitching mechanism for easyaccessibility for repair or replacement of parts.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wire stitching machine, the combination of a base to receive abag or other article to be stitched, means above the base for forcing awire staple through a bag, a plate mounted for up and down movementbelow said base, two clincher cams operatively connected with said plateand moved to and. from clinching position with the plate, a punchconnected to said plate and movable With it, said base having a punchopening formed therein to cooperate with the punch, and means foroperating the plate.

2. Ina wire stitching machine, the combination of a base to receive andsupport a bag or other article to be stitched, a stationary member abovesaid base havinga punch opening therein, means above the base forforcing a wire staple through the bag, a sliding clincher plate belowsaid base, two" pivoted: clincher cams operatively connected with the:clincher. plate. and pivotally supported below saidbase, anda:punch'fixed to said clincher plate. below. said: base, and movablewith the clincher plateto position for co-operating with the punchopening: above; the base.

3; In. a wire stitching. and. punching machine, the. combinationof. abase to. support a bag or other. articleto be stitched, a'memberoverlapping saidbase'an'dhaving. a punch opening, a clincher slideplate.- mount'ed for vertical movement below the base,clincher.camsvoperatively connected to the slide plate, a punch blockfixed to the slide plate, means for. guidingsaid block, and a punchfixed to the block for: cooperatingwith said memher. having a: punchopening.

4. In a Wire -stitching machine, the combination of a base to. receive abag or other article to be stitched, means above the basefor forcing awire staple through. the bag, a plate mounted for up and'downmovement-below said base, two clincher cams operatively connectedwithsaid plate and moved to and from clinching-position with the plate,a punch connected to said plateiand movable With it, saidbase having apunch opening; formed therein to;-cooperate with the punch, and

means for operating*the:plate, said means comprising a power' shaft, acam operated thereby, a lever fulcrumed to." the frame, means.for'tiltingthe lever by said cam, the forward end of the'

